Franklin Nwadialo, recently elected chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area in Anambra State, Nigeria, has been arrested by United States authorities on allegations of a $3.3 million romance scam. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, the 40-year-old faces a 14-count indictment and could receive up to a 20-year prison sentence if found guilty.

The federal bureau of investigation (FBI) reportedly arrested the 40-year-old LGA chairman on arrival in Texas. He would be transferred to the Western District of Washington for arraignment. According to the indictment, Nwadialo used various versions of the name ‘Giovanni’ when he met his victims online on websites such as Match, Zoosk, and Christian Café,” the statement reads.

Nwadialo used false images for his profile and typically told the victims that he was in the military and deployed overseas so he could not meet the victims in person. In one such case in 2020, he indicated he had been fined by the military for revealing his location to the victim. He asked the victim to help him pay the $150,000 fine. In all, that victim was defrauded of at least $2.4 million.”

The department’s statement further details an incident in 2019, where Nwadialo allegedly convinced a second victim to assist in moving funds to accounts under his control, claiming the transfers were necessary due to his father’s death. This victim reportedly sent him at least $330,000. A third victim was defrauded by Nwadialo when he told her that he was investing money for her.

He claimed that a check she received from another victim was proceeds from her investments, and he had her ‘reinvest’ the money in a specific crypto currency account that he controlled. The victim transferred at least $270,000 at Nwadialo’s direction.

Finally, in August 2020, Nwadialo defrauded another victim who he met on an online dating site and caused this victim to transfer at least $310,000 by claiming he needed financial assistance, including help paying for his father’s funeral or his son’s school tuition. The 14 counts of wire fraud relate to the communications with Nwadialo and the wiring of funds from victims to the defendant and his co-schemers. The case is being prosecuted by Sok Jiang, an assistant United States attorney.